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This week, Monday 21 – Friday 25 September 2026, is ICON Week, which is dedicated to raising awareness about infant crying and how to manage it, supporting parents and carers, and preventing serious injuries, illnesses, and even fatalities caused by abusive head trauma, often resulting from shaking a baby.
ICON is an acronym for:
Today, we are focusing on the first letter in the ICON acronym:
 Babies cry for many reasons. They are hardwired to cry whenever they need a parent to help them. This is because their brains have yet to develop the circuits that allow for self-control or understanding. Crying is meant to be upsetting for a parent. Crying is nature’s way of making sure they pay attention quickly.
A cry might signal many things, discomfort and startle are common examples. Sometimes, babies cry for no reason at all and sometimes they cry and just cannot be settled. This may be upsetting for both baby and parent, but it causes no harm and will eventually stop.
After about 5 months the experts say that crying becomes more ‘purposeful’. That means after 5 months of age, your baby is more likely to be crying for a reason.
The ‘Normal Crying Curve’ shows how babies start to cry more often at about two weeks of age. The crying may get more frequent and last longer during the next few weeks. It will reach a peak at about six to eight weeks, sometimes a little later. Every baby is different, but after about two to three months, babies start to cry less and less each week.
Information and image provided from ICON website. For more information on infant crying is normal, please visit their website: ICON Week | Infant Crying is Normal
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The ICON website provides extensive material to promote that infant crying is normal. This includes information about the “Pause at the door” tool and a video about peaks of infant crying. ICON Week | Infant Crying is Normal
To provide organisations with ideas of how to share the ICON message, ICON have created a Campaign Toolkit for ICON Week, which can be accessed in the following link: ICON Week 2026 Campaign Toolkit.
The CSCP website also includes a number of resources, which can be used to promote ICON Week: CSCP ICON Page.
Professionals should print copies of resources, where possible, to share with families during contact sessions/family time, and to display in public areas, to raise awareness of the ICON message.
If you know a family who needs support with Infant Crying, please signpost them to their midwife, GP or Health Visitor.
Please look out for tomorrow’s 5 Minute Briefing, where we will be focusing on the second letter in the ICON acronym; Comforting methods can help.
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 Above paragraph provided by ICON
Babies cry. You can cope. Never, ever shake a baby.
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